Scruzin,
I was just thinking about doing something like that myself. I have all Raymarine equipment on my boat
What is he approx cost of a setup like that??
Does it overlay on your plotter or will it connect to a PC with Navigation software on it?

Hi RifRaff,

Yes, you simply turn on "AIS Overlay" in your electronic chartplotter (aka Multifunction Display) and all AIS targets are overlaid. I have an e7D. I'll take a screen shot next time to share.

I purchased my stuff from Arnold's Boat Shop - www.arnoldsboatshop.com.au/ They're a newish Aussie online retailer but they good reviews and their service was indeed good for me.

The Raymarine AIS650 unit was $1088 and the "AIS Splitter 100" was $271. It came with all the cables you need. Just make sure you have a spare SeatalkNG port to plug the AIS650 into.

I guess AIS equipment is falling in price the whole time, but I've already waited a couple of years.

The extra cost+benefit of having a transceiver, and not just a receiver, seemed worthwhile to me.

YMMW.

PS I've already avoided an "incident". I flicked on the autopilot for a minute to go inside to get a drink when the MFD immediately started shrieking, with the message "AIS collision target". Turns out a South Australian Police boat had changed course and was (only momentarily) on a collision course with me! No doubt checking out my reggo or something :-)

That's my personal experience going through The Heads. From and In Port Philip to Bass Strait.
On small boats without and big boats with AIS.
You Cat. " B " and commercial traffic ignoring you completely.
If you inside the shipping channel, they see you well even without AIS .

But receiving AIS is great, you see ships behind the horizon, their speed and course.
For places with busy shipping, you know miles before hand where they going and how fast.

I bought a new cheap chinese AIS unit made by www.huayang-tech.com/en/ProductList.asp
$400 inc postage from china.
Features:
-AIS plotter
-AIS prox alerts.
-Anchor watch
-Bearing and speed.
-MOB

The other product I was looking at, but didn't get...www.milltechmarine.com/Vesper-Marine-XB-8000-AIS-Transponder-with-WiFi_p_247.html

One very nice thing about the AIS receivers/transceivers which are networked (via NMEA, NMEA2000, etc.), rather than stand alone, is that you can take advantage of the larger screen of your chart plotter. In high-traffic areas that extra screen real estate is likely to come in handy.